SACRAMENTS
SACRAMENTUM - A SIGN OF THE SACRED
Christ meets us in the Sacraments. They are the foundation and heart of our faith, outward visible signs of inward and spiritual divine grace.
The water and oil welcome us in Baptism and Confirmation; the life-giving bread and wine become His Body and Blood in the Eucharist; through Penance, we find forgiveness and reconciliation; through Holy orders and Marriage we form a faith community and family; and with Anointing, the gift of oil heals the sick and comforts the dying.
Through prayer, grace, and the love of God, "Who has surrendered everything for love of us," we inherit the sacred by asking, "May we learn to surrender everything for love of You."
The sacraments are Christ’s own gift that provides us with his grace. They are the divine help which God gives us to enable us to:
- Believe the truths of his faith.
- Live according to his moral code.
- Grow in his gift of divine life.
- The seven sacraments are a fundamental part of the Catholic faith.
The Seven (7) Sacraments:
Sacraments of Initiation
1. Baptism
2. Eucharist
3. Confirmation
Sacraments of Healing
4. Penance & Reconciliation
5. Anointing of the Sick
Sacraments of Service
6. Holy Orders
7. Matrimony
Links
The power of Christ lives in the Sacraments. They nourish us, strengthen us, and teach us. They impart grace and faith by opening our hearts to receive the infinite love of God in our lives, that we might become one with God and community.
We receive the sacraments through worship, prayer, ritual, praise and thanksgiving, reflection, penance, good works, sharing, giving and receiving, and most powerfully through the Eucharistic celebration.
Through the building of community, and over time, we seek for the sacraments to become an integral part of our lives, to teach us how to love until there is no (sin) separation from God. Through the Sacraments, we learn how to 'become the prayer', as living testaments to the Eternal.
